Boost your herbicide resistance strategy

Strategies to increase yields and lower your risk of herbicide resistance go hand in hand as part of an integrated weed management focus.

“Cleaner fields mean less competition for resources and inputs, leading to higher crop output and potentially increased profits,” says Wade Firestone, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with HELM Crop Solutions.

In many areas, weed herbicide resistance has become one of growers’ most pressing challenges, threatening yields, increasing input costs and complicating field management.

Relying too heavily on a single mode of action (MOA) has led to resistance issues that diminish the effectiveness of once-reliable herbicides, making integrating new tools and approaches essential.

With herbicide-resistant species like Palmer amaranth, waterhemp and giant ragweed continually creeping across key growing regions, farmers must adopt proactive and diversified weed control strategies to stay ahead.

“We are finding that weed management continues to change and evolve. And the products we need to address those changes also need to change,” says Dr. Larry Steckel, Professor of Row Crop Weed Management at the University of Tennessee.

While herbicides will remain the backbone of weed management programs for most farmers, it is important to act now to preserve the usefulness of this important tool. 

Use these three tips to proactively reduce selection pressure and help end the nightmare of herbicide-resistant weeds.

1. Correctly select and apply herbicides
   Always read the label to help understand which weeds each product targets and their activity against these weeds. It’s important to rotate herbicides with different MOAs rather than simply choosing different active ingredients and brand names. Avoid consecutive applications of the same herbicide unless it is used in a tank mix or pre-pack containing an herbicide with an effective MOA for the target weed species. Other weed management options, such as cultivation, can also be effective. The herbicides and/or alternative methods used must be active against the target weed.¹
2. Recognize weed characteristics that promote resistance
   Can you tell which weed is resistant just by looking at it? Probably not—resistant and susceptible weeds are nearly impossible to distinguish from each other without a detailed analysis. That means, since resistant and susceptible plants look alike, resistance is often not detected until the resistant biotype has spread to 30% or more of the field and perhaps to surrounding fields. Also, keep in mind some weed populations, like waterhemp, kochia and ragweed, are more prone to resistance than others. Research shows that annual weeds with several reproductive generations per growing season and cross-pollinate tend to be more prone to develop resistance. Species that have adaptations for seed dispersal over greater distances also tend to be more prone to develop resistance, or the resistant biotype spreads more rapidly.
3. Step-up field management practices
   Consider adjusting your cultural practices to reduce the weed control burden on herbicides. For example, use adjusted row spacing and proper fertility. Incorporate strategies like cover crops as appropriate for your situation. Agronomy experts also suggest switching up and extending crop rotations, adding different crops to your mix as possible. Implementing multiple crops in a cropping rotation allows an opportunity to better manage herbicide-resistant weeds with the different MOA that can be applied to the crop species and varieties.² Also, consider planting dates based on field and weather conditions and manage other pests to maximize your crop’s ability to compete with weeds. For annual cropping systems, start with a clean field and control weeds early by using a burndown treatment or tillage in combination with a pre-emergence residual herbicide, as appropriate. Do not let weeds go to seed.¹

“Traditionally, in the last decade, it’s been horseweed or marestail that we’re struggling to control,” Steckel says. “We’ve used traditional products to take this weed out, and as those products proved to be successful with horseweed fading from the picture, other weeds filled that hole.”  

“We need newer solutions,” he adds. “Reviton has been a good fit to take out troubling weeds.” 

Reviton can help lead the resistance fight 

In extensive North American product development trials and regulatory studies, Reviton has consistently demonstrated high-performance ratings in burndown efficacy for a wide range of weeds, including ALS, triazine and glyphosate-resistant species. Its low use rate formulation, tank mix compatibility and crop rotational flexibility make it a comprehensive solution for preplant burndown needs. 

This fast-acting PPO-inhibitor herbicide has a Group 14 classification. When applied under optimal growing conditions, foliar effects occur within 24 hours after treatment. It is a reliable, non-selective herbicide for preplant burndown of broadleaf and grass weeds in corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat. 

Reviton’s active ingredient, Tergeo^®, is rapidly absorbed by plants, shutting down chlorophyll production and photosynthesis. Within a few hours after treatment, the foliage of susceptible weeds begins showing signs of wilting and yellowing. In subsequent days, tissue necrosis occurs, followed by weed death. 

As herbicide resistance threatens the profitability and sustainability of row-crop production, growers must take a forward-thinking, integrated approach to weed management. Reviton herbicide offers a valuable tool in this effort—delivering fast, effective burndown control with a unique mode of action that complements existing programs. Adding an additional effective MOA to the tank helps combat resistance development. 

By incorporating this tool into a broader strategy that includes herbicide rotation, tank-mix diversity and cultural practices like cover cropping and crop rotation, farmers can stay a step ahead of resistant weeds. Protecting the long-term viability of weed control programs isn’t just good agronomics—it’s good business. 

Now is the time to rethink, retool and reinforce your weed control plan. With resistant weeds on the rise, a diversified strategy can help protect your fields and your bottom line. Learn more about how Reviton can help.  

¹Buehler W. Proactive Herbicide Resistance Management. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship. Available at: https://pesticidestewardship.org/resistance/herbicide-resistance/proactive-herbicide-resistance-management/. 

²Probasco C, Anderson M. 2023. Iowa State University. Overcoming Resistant Weeds.  Available at: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/post/overcoming-herbicide-resistant-weed-pressure.